What if I tell you, you do not necessarily have to sign up for gym membership to be fit? What if I tell you that you do not necessarily have to lift heavy dumbbells to achieve your fitness goals?
Yes, sometimes all you need is right in front of you – which is your own bodyweight! The reason why I love bodyweight sports is because it is something that can be done anytime, anywhere without extra preparations such as equipment etc. All you need is a little spark of motivation and you can get started!
I’m a certified Fitness Trainer under Institut Sukan Negara and the Co-Founder of O-Zone Fitness Malaysia. This is how I’d build a home workout routine with nothing but you and the floor.
What calisthenics is
One of the most popular bodyweight fitness is called calisthenics, which are exercises that rely on your bodyweight to perform different movement and you can usually adjust the intensity of the workout based on the angle of movements.
The term calisthenics originates from the Greek Word ‘Kalos’ which is beauty and ‘Sthenos’ which means strength. Hence, it is a form of bodyweight strength training that is performed through interesting movements that allows development of strength, endurance, flexibility & coordination.
Why bodyweight training works at home
Besides just appearing very ‘cool’ with all the advanced gymnastic-like movements, I believe calisthenics training is one of the most functional trainings that everyone at all different fitness levels can perform. It mimics the natural movements of body such as pulling, pushing and jumping. These are the basic strength that we should develop to help us be fitter on our daily lifestyle as well.
Calisthenics also focuses on training multiple muscle groups at the same time, hence you get to develop lean muscle mass & improve body physique at the same time. Many of the movements also require to be performed with full range of motion, hence improving flexibility & mobility at the same time.
How to start: find your progression
Don’t be intimidated by calisthenics just because you see many advanced anti-gravity movements on the internet. Remember, it is just your own bodyweight. Your first goal is to be able to handle your own bodyweight efficiently.
Hence, for each of the movements below, find a progression (usually with the assistance of angle adjustments) to define the exercise that is challenging enough but doable at the same time for your current fitness ability. Remember, everyone’s journey is different, focus on the one that you can actually perform and work towards progressing and improving from there.
The two moves your routine is built on
Push-up
Push Up is one of the most basic upper body pushing movements that trains your shoulder, chest, core etc. at the same time.
- Hands shoulder width apart.
- Start off in a plank position, keep your core tight & form a straight line from your head to toe.
- Lower your body to the ground, with elbows going down in 45 degrees angle.
- Drive yourself up by fully extending your arms.
To make it easier
- Angle adjustment: Elevate your hands to a higher surface, such as box or wall. This will make the movement easier as there is lesser weight required to be pushed away from the ground.
- Reduce the weight: Perform the movement with knees on the ground. This will make the movement easier with lesser weight required to be pushed away from the ground.
To make it harder
- Angle adjustment: Elevate your feet to a higher surface using box or wall. This will make the movement harder as there is lesser reliance on the feet, hence requiring more upper body strength to be pushed away from the ground.
- Increase the weight: Perform the movement with just one arm, this will increase the difficulty of the movement, almost twice!
Squat
This is one of the most basic and beneficial movements to strengthen overall lower body muscles such as quads, hamstring & even core stability.
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart.
- Start the movement bending your knees and sitting back with your hips.
- Go down as far as you can with heels and toes still firmly pressing on the ground.
- Reverse the motion by straightening your legs into standing position again.
To make it easier
- Angle adjustment: Place a box or chair behind you & try to sit onto the box or chair. By reducing the range of motion of squatting all the way down, this should help make the movement easier.
To make it harder
- Increase the weight: Perform the movement with just one leg, we call this Pistol Squat. This will significantly increase the difficulty of the movement as much more core engagement & single leg strength will be required to perform the movement.
Put it together: your D.I.Y routine
You don’t need a long list of exercises to start. Two moves, done well and done often, already make a routine.
Make it fun so it lasts
When it comes to fitness, there isn’t one best sport. Explore different fitness activities and find the one that suits your lifestyle the most. Always remember to make it fun so that you can incorporate it into your lifestyle.
Not medical advice: this is general fitness guidance. If you have an injury or a health condition, check with a doctor or physiotherapist before you start. If anything hurts while you train, stop.
Kickstart it with your team
Plenty of people are trying to move more around a full workday. I run this as a quick talk for teams, Kickstart Your Wellness to Success. Your people learn how to transform home into their ‘gym’. Then they design their very own D.I.Y bodyweight workout to perform anywhere, anytime.